Results 1,061-1,080 of 5,148 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: This woman told me that she is on a couple of new drugs which are used to address long Covid and which cost more than €100 a month. Neither of these drugs is covered by the drug payment scheme. For people who are out of work and cannot afford such drugs, this really is crippling. It can be equally difficult for those in receipt of sick pay who are likely to have other outgoings such...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: 3. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the remit of the new interim procurement reform board; the terms of reference of the board; if a list of board members will be provided; the stakeholders that will be consulted; the proposed date for the board to publish its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45429/21]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: There has been concern, much of which has been reported in the media, in relation to public money that was spent on faulty equipment, for example, PPE, arising clearly from failures in due diligence. The Minister of State has announced the formation of a new interim public procurement reform board. Will he outline the terms of reference of the board, provide a list of its members and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: According to the Comptroller and Auditor General, more than one third of our spend on PPE had to be written off. That spend amounted to over €900 million. Much of that PPE was thrown in the bin. For example, hand sanitisers had to be recalled after millions of euro was spent on them. After spending millions on hand sanitiser, the HSE purchased now infamous ViraPro hand sanitiser in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I do not believe anyone would argue that we do not need public procurement guidelines. The Minister of State did not really answer my question on whether there were purchases that we are not aware of. He said 80% of the equipment was to standard but that still implies a significant risk. I am aware that we went outside the normal competitive process and used negotiated procedure but there...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Does the Minister of State know when he will have the report?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: 33. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the date of the final publication of the revised national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45416/21]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Can I just confirm that I can only contribute once because there a couple of-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: That is great. Thank you. Can the Minister confirm if the €1.1 billion in additional capital outlined in the summer economic statement will be allocated across Departments under the revised NDP? Health and housing are two massive areas in respect of which there are serious infrastructural deficits. I hope that the revised NDP and the upcoming budget will tackle these deficits....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: That is what I thought. That is why I asked all my supplementary questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: This was Deputy Cahill's question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: One of the questions in this group is in my name.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I am a bit disappointed that the Minister will not outline the ceilings. He is making my life slightly more difficult. I assume we will have them in good time before the budget is introduced. If the Minister does his change his mind and wishes to give us that additional information, that would be lovely. On the NDP, we have heard many reports of bid-rigging and about the costs of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. We are in a crisis in terms of gas and energy costs. With regard to policy tools that can be used to respond to that crisis, in response to a parliamentary question my colleague, Deputy Doherty, submitted in January 2019, the Minister said VAT rates for household utility bills such as gas and electricity could not be reduced below 12%. I believe this was...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Hence it was not me who put it in, yes.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the Minister; that would be helpful because it is important when we are in this crisis in terms of energy costs for people to do everything we can. Anything we can do would be essential for those people, who are struggling. I want to talk about the corporation tax issue. I do not want to talk about the specifics of the two-pillar system or the negotiations under way. My...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Go raibh maith agat. I was not asking for the Minister's opinion on that; I was just hoping he could give an indication. Second, the Commission has said it will legislate through a directive for Pillar 2 of the OECD inclusive framework proposals. Regardless of whether this State signs up or does not sign up to the final agreement, would the Minister agree it does set a significant...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I want to go back to the question of the energy crisis, as well as the energy costs crisis. I am sure the Minister is aware that, by the end of the decade, data centres are set to consume around 30%, and from figures that have been talked about, it will be 29% by 2028, in seven years. We know that as a result of increased energy usage from those already in operation, as well as issues in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: We can argue the point on another occasion. I want to double check something. In regard to Pillar 2 and corporation tax, the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar, said that any potential higher tax rate would only apply to companies with a turnover of €750 million or higher in Ireland. Is the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, saying the Commission has not approved this?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance (23 Sep 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: For clarity, and maybe it is that I am slower to pick this up, that means there would be two levels. Hypothetically, this could be 13%, so what did the Tánaiste mean in that regard? I am slightly confused.